WHAT I BECAME
1358 Words
CHAPTER 14:
Pain did not wake me up.
Memory did.
It hit me like a storm. Unstoppable and tearing through everything.
I heard voices, screens and codes. My fingers were flying across a keyboard.
"You're in deep Amara."
"I know."
"Then stop."
"I can't."
I took a breath. My eyes flew open.
Bright white lights burned above me.
This time I knew where I was.
I was not in a hospital. I was not in a place.
I was in Blackwood.
The name felt in my mind.
My chest went up and down unevenly.
I could feel it. The difference, the shift.
Things were coming back to me.
Not everything. Enough.
Enough to understand. Enough to be afraid.
"Good, " a voice said from the corner.
The man sounded calm and satisfied.
I turned my head slowly.
The man in black was standing there watching me.
He was studying me.
"Looks like we're making progress, " he said.
My jaw got tight.
"You drugged me " I said.
"We helped you " he corrected.
"No, you forced it " I said.
He smiled a little.
"Same result " he said.
My fingers twitched against the restraints.
I tested them again.
They were still tight. Still unbreakable.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"You already know " he replied.
My gaze got hard.
"Information, " he said.
He nodded once.
"Where is it?" He asked.
My mind flickered.
I remembered fragments. Files, encrypted data and a hidden drive.
My breath caught.
Something inside me reacted.
It was instinct. It was defense.
"I don't know " I said.
That was a lie.
I felt it away.
The man in black knew I was remembering faster than expected.
"That doesn't mean I'll help you " I said.
He chuckled softly.
"You already are " he said.
Anger flared up.
"I'm not on your side, " I said.
"No, you're on your side " he agreed.
That was true.. It made it worse.
"Where is the data, Amara?" he asked again.
I stayed silent.
I would say nothing.
The man in black's expression didn't change.
His patience got thinner.
"You were always stubborn, " he said.
"Still am " I said.
His gaze got sharper.
"Then we'll take an approach, " he said.
I felt a chill run through me.
"What approach?" I asked.
He stepped closer.
He moved slowly and carefully.
"Let's bring in motivation, " he said.
My heart skipped a beat.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
He didn't answer.
Instead he turned toward the door. Nodded.
The door opened.
My breath caught.
The person they dragged in was Ethan.
My heart stopped.
"No, " I said.
Ethan's hands were bound.
His face was bruised.
His eyes were still sharp.
Still focused.
Still him.
"Amara, " he said.
Relief and panic hit me at the time.
"Ethan, " I said.
He was forced to his knees.
Right in front of me.
Rage burned in my chest.
"What did you do to him?" I snapped.
"Nothing permanent, " the man replied calmly.
"Let him go " I said.
"That depends on you " he said.
My pulse spiked.
"No " I said.
Ethan shook his head away.
"Don't listen to him " he said firmly.
"Ethan, " I said.
"Amara don't " he repeated.
The man smiled a little.
"How touching, " he said.
I glared at him.
"Let him go " I said again.
"Tell me where the data is " he replied, ". I might."
It was not a promise.
My mind was racing.
I had to think.
There had to be a way out.
There had to be something.
"Don't, " Ethan said again. His voice was softer now.
"They'll kill you " I whispered.
"Then let them, " he replied.
My chest got tight.
"No, " I said.
"You can't give them what they want " he continued.
His eyes locked onto mine.
They were steady and certain.
"If you do... Everything you risked your life for means nothing " he said.
The words hit deep.
I felt it. That truth.
Even without memory.
I had fought them.
I had risked everything.
For something.
For something
"I don't even know where it is " I said.
"That's not true " the man said calmly.
My gaze snapped to him.
"You hid it well, " he continued. "Very well.. Not perfectly."
Fear crept in.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
He stepped again.
His next words made my blood run cold.
"We've already found part of it " he said.
My heart slammed.
"No " I said quickly.
My voice betrayed me.
It was too fast. Too defensive.
He smiled.
"There it is " he said.
Panic surged.
"What did you find?" I demanded.
"Enough " he replied. "Enough to know how dangerous you are."
My chest got tight.
"And to know you encrypted the rest inside your own mind " he said.
Everything stopped.
My breath. My thoughts. Everything.
"What?" I whispered.
He leaned in a little.
"You didn't just hide the data, " he said quietly.
"You became the key " he said.
A cold wave crashed over me.
No. That wasn't right.
It was.
I could feel it.
The way my mind resisted.
The way certain thoughts felt locked.
Hidden. Protected.
"Oh my God..." I whispered.
Ethan's expression got dark.
"What did you do?" he asked.
The man straightened.
"She ensured that even if we captured her..." he said calmly.
"...we couldn't access everything, " he said.
My heart was racing.
"So you need me " I said slowly.
He smiled.
"Yes " he said.
Relief flickered.
It was small. It was dangerous.
Because if they needed me...
Then I had leverage.
"You won't kill him " I said, nodding toward Ethan.
His expression didn't change.
"You're confident, " he said.
"You need me alive, " I continued. ". Cooperative."
He studied me.
Then he smiled again.
"You're starting to remember, " he said.
A spark of something ignited inside me.
It was strength. It was clarity. It was control.
"I'm not telling you anything, " I said firmly.
The room went still.
Ethan looked at me.
Something like pride flickered in his eyes.
The man's smile faded a little.
"That's disappointing, " he said.
"Get used to it " I said.
There was silence.
Then he sighed softly.
" As much as I enjoy this " he said, "we're running out of time."
My stomach twisted.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
His gaze flicked to Ethan.
Then back to me.
"It means we're moving to phase two " he said.
Fear surged again.
"What phase?" I asked.
He didn't answer.
Instead he reached into his pocket.
He pulled out something
It was black. It was familiar.
My heart dropped.
The device.
The same kind Lila had used.
"No, " I whispered.
"Yes, " he said calmly.
"You said you needed me conscious, " I argued.
"I do " he agreed.
"Then what is that?" I asked.
His smile returned.
It was cold. It was cruel.
"Insurance, " he said.
My pulse spiked.
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
He stepped closer.
Too close.
"You're going to remember, " he said.
My breath shook.
". Then?" I asked.
His eyes locked onto mine.
They were dark. They were final.
". Then..." he said.
He glanced briefly at Ethan.
Before finishing...
"You're going to prove your loyalty, " he said.
Everything inside me froze.
"What?" I whispered.
I already knew.
Because of what he said
Because of the plan.
Because of the trap.
"No..." I whispered.
Ethan's voice cut through.
"Don't
let them control you " he said.
Fear had already taken hold.
Because I understand now.
They didn't just want information.
They wanted something
They wanted me to make a choice.
Him.
The truth.
The device in the man's hand started glowing.
It got really bright.
Blindingly bright.
The last thing I saw was Ethan looking at me.
He wasn't scared.
He wasn't hurt.
He looked sure.
Like he already knew what I would choose.
That scared me more, than anything.
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